#dismissing the actual song and intent behind it

[snickerdoodlles]

For the author ask thing L and M? ❤️

ooohh choosing violence i see, i approve 😂❤

L. favourite fic of yours?

gonna throw you a curveball here. while i love the question choices, i also don't want to tag someone with a post that's gushing about their story and then in the same breath talk about something i don't like. so! as you all know, i've been into KimChay for A Hot Min, so let's take a min to gush over one of my favorite lil fics that's been around since the beginning of the BOC airing:

reverence is a little collection of KimChay vignettes. it's what i would consider 'old' KimChay fandom because it has a lot of influence from the Filmania kp trailer and novel versions of them, but it still largely reads as Kim and Chay and everything's little snapshots that can be as connected or unconnected as you want to read them (ft the occasional AU chucked in for flavoring). i really like vignettes so it's very happy days for me whenever i feel like dipping my toes back into this fic for a reread 🤗

M. least favourite fic of yours?

i'm not gonna trash talk anyone's fic here, something that's not for me can just be not read by me, and that's that. so! instead i'm gonna call this the continuation of the Kim tea ask, because there was one important take i completely forgot about when answering that question lol:

☕ fic that shit talks WDYS

this includes: every damn fic that had some variation of Chay saying "YOU WERE THE ONE THAT LEFT". tell me you didn't pay attention to the lyrics without telling me you didn't pay attention to the lyrics. Jeff did not pour his blood sweat tears and more into that song for y'all to dismiss it like this. BOC did not completely rework Kim's storyline to include music so that he sung this to Chay as an apology for this. also, similar weird take that goes hand-in-hand with the dismissals: Kim did not """"steal Chay's song"""" -- WDYS is the song they literally worked on together. Kim is helping Chay write it on screen. Kim finishing it as an apology to Chay to explain Why He's Like This is a really good step towards a reconciliation between the two of them actually.

i just. aurgh. it's a fantastic song that is basically the thesis statement of kinnporsche: the series, for all three pairings, and it's just really annoying to see yet another fic ignore all of that to play off the one english line for a cheap shot at Kim. ik a decent chunk of my irritation here is the number of stories vs any story specifically, and it's not like there's ever a limit on how many times a concept will be used, but. ugh. i do not care for it At All.

[fic author asks]

[fiapartridge]

🥥 adam fantilli again bc tay and adam are my 2 fav things!!!!!!

STOP ADAM AND TAY R SUCH A POWERFUL COMBO AND HE IS SOOOOO YOU BELONG WITH ME CODED LIKE IK ITS SO BASIC but it's the cutest song ever and he's the cutest

and this was actually so fucking cute to write UGH I LOVEDDD THIS

His head rested on your lap, your hands raking through his hair as he vented to you about the events that took place earlier that night. “And then she said I didn't care about her. I- I mean, I didn’t mean to make her feel that way. I just–”

“Wait, so just let me get this straight. She told you to buy her a $2,000 dress, and you said no because you couldn’t afford it—understandably—and she got mad at you? I mean, Adam—”

“You’re making her seem like she’s a bad person,” he said, sitting up and taking the spot across from you on your tiny twin sized bed. You two sat in your dorm room, doing your daily talk about what Katerina, Adam’s girlfriend, did this time. And it hurt knowing that the guy you have been in love with your entire life is in love with someone else, but he was your best friend, you had no choice but to stand back and support him.

You met Adam when you were 14 when he joined his brother at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire. You were initially friends with Luca having met him in the library at school. He was struggling with math and every time you heard him get an equation wrong on those flimsy little flashcards, you cringed a little. So, taking it upon yourself (you were quite the confident 14-year-old), you sat down next to him, outstretched your hand, introduced yourself as his new tutor, and shooed away the poor kid who desperately thanked you for getting him out of that. 

After a year of tutoring Luca, you two became inseparable, and when you heard that his younger brother was coming to play hockey for the school, you knew you had to meet him. And, most of the time, you were glad that you did, except for nights like these.

You laughed incredulously. “Adam, she got mad at you for not being able to afford an expensive dress. She’s not really the best person.”

“She might not be the best all the time—”

You scoffed, grabbing his hands and holding them in yours as you stared at him intently. “You deserve someone who is the best all the time; someone who genuinely makes you happy; who doesn’t leave you like this every single night.” You deserve me, you wanted to say, but you clamped your lips shut before your true feelings could ever manage to escape.

Huffing and dismissing your words, he pushed you to the side, laying down on the small space beside you. His hands resting behind his head, he stared at the ceiling as you kept your arms secured to your sides. Sometimes you were scared to get too close to him, afraid of what you might do in a fit of spontaneity, scared that you could ruin your entire friendship in one heated moment. 

“This whole girlfriend thing is so complicated,” he murmured absentmindedly before turning to the side, facing you. “Still up for the marriage at 30 rule?”

You shook your head, breathing out a laugh. “You wanna say that when you have a girlfriend right now?”

Adam shrugged. “Just taking extra precautions.”

Rolling your eyes, you spun onto your side, looking at him dead-on. “What if I end up in a relationship and you don’t?”

“Then I’ll ruin his fucking life,” he replied, a small smile dancing on his lips. You knew he was joking, but sometimes you wished he wasn’t. You wished he saw a life where you could be the one he marries, a life where he could be happy with you, not just as an extra precaution, but because he really wanted to. 

“Will Kat be at the game tomorrow?” you asked randomly, as if the question just morphed itself out of thin air. She was never there. She was always busy with something: shopping with the girls, working out with a classmate, practicing cheer drills. You were so convinced that she has never even seen Adam in his hockey gear. 

You were there every game, cheering him on from the student section, pretending not to catch the disappointed expression on his face every time he realized she wasn’t there—again. 

And just like time and time before, Adam with his ever present hopeful spirit, sighed and said, “Hope so.”

—

They were up 4-1. 

The children of Yost screamed so loud, you were sure that the top of the building could fly off at any minute. And just as Rutger Mcgroarty scored the last and final game-winning goal, making the score 5-1, the crowd burst into another set of chants as you watched the boys jump each other on the ice. Everyone looked so happy, and for the first time, that happiness included Adam.

You waited in the lobby, ready to congratulate him and the rest of the team on the win, like you do every game. Truth be told, you loved seeing a freshly showered Adam, high off a well-deserved win. And expecting to have to find his tall figure in the crowd of students, you jumped back as he found you immediately.

The lobby was crowded, excited conversations filing into the room, leaving Adam to shout in your direction. “I saw you out there!”

You rolled your eyes, laughing. “You see me every time!”

He smiled, his brows furrowing simultaneously as if realizing something. In mere seconds, he grabbed your hand, pulling you towards the exit. You wanted to protest, to tell him that you had to congratulate the rest of the boys, especially Luca, but Adam was holding your hand and it felt so perfect. It felt like this was your life. Adam holding your hand, pulling you to secluded spaces, spaces meant just for the two of you. It felt like it was meant to be, like you were made for this; for him.

You guys rounded the side of the building, your arms hugging your body as the snow slowly rained down on you two. The lights outside flickered dimly, but you saw his smile, and you didn’t care about anything but him. In your mind, it was just Adam, Adam, Adam. 

“It’s so easy with you,” is the first thing he said. You pulled your brows together, confused as to what he meant by that. Noticing your expression, he went on. “I mean, tell me the last time you missed one of my games.”

You scoffed. “You are a conceited little shit, aren’t you?”

He shook his head, huffing out a laugh. “C’mon, just tell me.”

You racked your brain, trying to think back to the last time you missed one. And then, as if a lightbulb lit in your brain, you finally remembered. You think he remembered too. “We were 16, you were playing for the Chicago Steel, and I was dying from swine flu because your ass decided to make me a grilled cheese with expired butter.”

“Okay, okay!” He held his hands up in defense. “I did rush to your aid after the game, though.”

“Yeah, and you agreed to get me a wet towel if I watched an hour of your game highlights,” you retorted, the conversation replacing the chills in your body with warm, happy memories.

He stuffed his cold hands in his pockets, shrugging. “Well, my point is!” he said, sending you into a fit of laughter. 

“You are so stupid!”

“And that was so uncalled for!” he chuckled, tilting his head down at you. You looked like some sort of snow princess with the white flakes delicately landing on your hair. Your cute nose was red and he watched you shiver as he slipped his arms around your torso, pulling you to his chest as your arms instinctively wrapped around him. It was foreign for the two of you to be hugging, but this one felt different.

“My point is,” he restarted. “you have been to almost all of my games.”

You nodded in response, wondering where this was going. And you were even more curious when he said, “What’s my favorite color?”

With no hesitation, you responded with, “Blue.”

“Where was I born?”

“Are you really making me do an Adam Fantilli quiz? I mean, I knew your ego was high, but—”

“C’mon,” he laughed, resting his chin on your head.

You smiled. “Nobleton.”

“My real name?”

“Adamo,” you answered before taking a step back from his grasp. “She didn’t know that?”

He shrugged. “She didn’t know anything about me—not like you do.”

You sighed. You didn’t want to do this while he was with Kat. While you didn’t like her, it felt wrong to think about him like this when you felt that, maybe just maybe, he might be thinking about you in the same way. “Adam—”

“I broke up with her last night when I left your dorm.”

Your head raised, meeting his gentle gaze. You were shocked. He liked her so much, I mean, he was defending her the entire night. What happened?

Holding your hands, just as you hand done to him the night before, he took a step closer as you felt the heat radiate off of him and onto you. “You told me I deserve someone who makes me happy. I deserve someone who won’t miss a single game unless I food poisoned her, who knows me—not just surface level me—who doesn’t make me feel bad about anything. I’m convinced I have never felt bad when I’m with you. You belong with me, Y/N, and... I have only ever belonged to you."

[ecoamerica]

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[slytherweasley]

Hello could I get a draco Malfoy x reader story based on the song all too well by Taylor swift (if you have seen the 10 min short film could you base it around that where they are fighting) -@graceperry8

All Too Well (Draco’s Version)

For my fellow swifties <3

You were meeting his friends for dinner, you actually suggested it, a dinner party at your house to get to know them. You were at the point of the relationship where you’d been dating for a few months and were ready to get more serious. You were so anxious the whole day, you remember showering and feeling so anxious you felt like you were going to throw up.

You got out of the shower and made your way into the bedroom where Draco was getting ready. “I’m so nervous” you say coming up behind him and wrapping your arms around him. “Don’t be they are great you’ll love them” he spins you around and pulls you close to him pressing a longing kiss on your head. “Im not worried about me liking them, I want them to like me” “they will, I like you there’s no reason they won’t.”

Draco is 9 years older than you, which means his friends are older too, although you and Draco got along well you felt intimidated as they were approaching 30 you were just coming to terms with turning 21 shortly. You thought you wouldn’t have much to relate about.

The long awaited moment came and once you’d been introduced you served dinner. They were talking about their times at Hogwarts, it was nice to hear but you didn’t have much to add but you did your best.

“Draco was the best at Potions despite what everyone thought of Potter” Pansy says “Really? I didn’t know that! I was also top of my class in Potions” you say taking Draco’s hand “but Hogwarts changed changed a lot since we left, really it went downhill. You didn’t experience Snape the best potions master of the century” he avoided your hand placing it on the table. Your heart sunk to your stomach, no one noticed and the conversation kept flowing but you weren’t able to get over it.

You kept quiet the rest of the night. You cleaned up after they left and Draco was helping you. “You’re awfully quiet, what’s going on? Didn’t like my friends?” “No they were great” “what is it?” “You, why did you treat me like that? You just dismissed me the whole night, you dropped my hand.” “I can’t even remember that” “Well you did it” “It was probably an unconscious action” “it was full of thought and intention.” “Well I didn’t mean anything by it” “you definitely meant to make me feel like a child when you told me that after you guys left Hogwarts every year went downhill.” “You’re making a night about me and my friends about you! That’s so fucking selfish, I didn’t expect that from you” “it’s not about me it’s about you and how you are being a shitty boyfriend” “don’t put your insecurities on me! This is you, you’re being so selfish!” He spat.

Your eyes welled up and a the painful lump in your throat was about to be released. You turn away from him and continue cleaning to let out your tears. “Hey, I don’t want to fight” he turns you around and wipes your tears “I’m sorry, I was a terrible boyfriend” he knew how to guilt you “no, you’re not” you said trying to catch your breath. He pressed his lips to yours and made you feel like you were overreacting.

Things had changed, fights would start over small things until one day it hit the breaking point.

Draco was in his study working when you came in after not talking all day. You didn’t get into an argument you were just in a rough spot. “Hey baby” you say sitting on his lap, he didn’t wrap his arms around you and just let you sit there.

“I’ve been thinking for a long time and I can’t get it off my mind” “talk to me” you take his hand and he lets you. “I’m not feeling this anymore, us. We are disconnected. It’s not the same” you get up and gave him “are you about to break up with me?” “Yes, it’s done” “we are going through a normal tough situation it’s no excuse to break up.” “I know you’re trying to make this work but I’m over it, I’ve been through this at your age. If we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine.” You weren’t even sad just mad. “Fuck this. Fuck you! You knew what you were getting into” “I don’t know what I was thinking, you’re too young.”

You just left and never came back. Never saw him again.

[morrigan-writings]

Blade Songs

Roronoa Zoro x GN!Reader

Warnings: no use of y/n, bar brawl, mentions of drinking, harmless sword fight/training

Summary: Wandering the seas as a sword-for-hire, you run into Monkey D. Luffy who promptly encourages you to join the Straw Hat crew. After weeks onboard, Zoro is the last remaining member for you to befriend, but he's avoiding you. After cornering him about and seemingly solving your differences, Zoro makes a complete 180.

A/N: hi there! haven't updated anything in a while simply because I haven't been able to write for a while. However, after watching the live action One Piece show, i got sudden inspiration, so *gestures vaguely at this fic* Small Disclaimer, I have yet to watch the original anime, so this is based solely on the live action. Also this was meant to be a single part oneshot, but once I started writing I realized my original idea needed better exposition to make sense, so part one is just that, part two is the actual plan I had. Enjoy!

The journey of being recruited to the Straw Hats to then becoming actual friends and crewmates with them was a whirlwind adventure in itself, happening in seemingly the blink of an eye.

Luffy had approached you about joining his crew after seeing your skills in combat when you lended aid against bounty hunters that came after the crew during your mutual stay on a more populated pirate island. You had been a wandering sell sword for a few years now, making money where you could, traveling nearly every day. Busy using up some recently earned Berry at the local tavern, you had recognized Luffy when the eclectic group had wandered in, taking up the only empty seats left in place by you at the bar itself. The orange-haired girl ended up next to you, but once you made a comment complimenting her weapon, Luffy took notice and struck up a conversation, telling you all about the crew, how talented they were, and how he planned to become King of the Pirates.

It was during this that the swordsman you recognized as the famous Demon, Roronoa Zoro, finally glanced over in your direction, immediately zeroing in on the two short sabre swords on each hip, and the row of throwing knives stashed along your belt. Not overly flashy, but still clearly finely made blades, clearly used. You dismissed the look, due to already doing the same to the other customers in the vicinity yourself, it was second nature. During this time of chatting with Luffy and a couple others, you took note out of the corner of your eye when a more menacing presence strolled into the tavern, until they rolled right up behind Luffy himself, breathing down his neck until the boy finally turned around.

“Hi there!” a happy grin stretching wide.

The pirate just stared him down, his handful of crew behind him, waiting, until a more sinister grin crawled across his own face. “I take it you’re Luffy.” It wasn’t a question.

“Sure am! And this is my crew!” You carefully watched as Luffy cheerfully answered the man, clocking how Zoro and the blonde did the same, tensing like you all knew where this was going. Your hand slowly started to reach for one of the knives in your belt. Despite having just met, you had taken quite a liking to the kid.

“So here’s the deal, Rubber Boy…. this bounty of your’s is mighty enticing-“ the pirate trailed off, his intent clearly implied as he held up a wanted poster, Luffy’s face grinning back at him wildly.

The captain had just rested his free hand on the hilt of his sword as his crewmates did the same, about to draw, when suddenly a knife imbedded itself right at his feet with a loud thud.

He had barely jumped back a few inches in shock when both crews whipped their attentions over to you, where you had gone back to your drink. The silence was deafening.

Without looking at him, you took another sip. “Now see, I don’t appreciate you threatening my new friend,” you paused, downed the rest of your drink, then finally turned in your seat to face him, “especially when I’m in the middle of enjoying my drink.”

You missed the miniscule smirk Zoro gave, his own hand now resting on his sword hilt, at the ready.

Looking back on it, you can’t recall how exactly it started, who threw the first punch, swung the first sword, but next thing you knew, you all were in a jumbled bar fight, fists flying and blades singing. You remember being briefly shocked when seeing Luffy’s Gum Gum ability in person for the first time, but quickly recovered when more attacks came in. At one point you ended up on top of a table to dodge an attack and got a brief view of the rest of the crew. The blonde man throwing kick after skilled kick, the sharpshooter either hiding or hitting a mark, the girl, Nami, expertly spinning her staff, Luffy throwing hits and dodging hits comically, and finally Zoro with his single katana slicing through the air. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t briefly in awe for a moment before flying back into the fray with your own two blades.

The fight itself didn’t last too long, but it was after that did Luffy approach you, complimenting your skill and thanking you, and then dropping a bomb in the form of offering you to join his crew.

You remember how you glanced at the others, all of them looking like they’ve seen this act before with each other, and unbothered with Luffy’s proposition. Looking back at the young captain, you had contemplated for a moment, explaining to him your profession as a sword-for-hire, a mercenary. Unbothered, he merely shrugged and commented how you must be very good at it, and reminded you that that was what Zoro used to be, and how they could always use another swordsman and protector on the crew, and how you seemed like a great fit.

“What’s your dream?” He peered at you curiously. You almost laughed before realizing he was completely genuine.

You hesitated. “… I don’t know. Never really had the time for any, I guess I’m still figuring it out.”

You had answered as honestly as you could, and luckily Luffy had merely smiled softly and nodded like he completely understood.

“Well, maybe if you traveled with us, we could help you find what it is.”

You gave it another minute before you reached over to shake his hand with a smile.

————————————————————————————————————————————

Time seemed to fly by, days into weeks, until it had been about a month of you being on the crew, with more minor skirmishes and weird adventures here and there. And you had to admit, this was probably the best decision you had made yet, especially after having been on your own for so long.

You had become quick friends with Nami and Usopp after Luffy. You’d entertain Usopp’s wild tales while in turn telling him the (more true) tales of your own adventures, you’d laugh at Luffy’s antics and talk to him about his origins, and you’d visit with Nami while she worked on her maps and navigated.

Sanji was interesting in the fact his flattery and way with words would always get a laugh from you, maybe a snappy comeback thrown back at him in return, until it became less about him flirting with you and more just banter between friends whenever you visited him in the kitchen.

Zoro was a little more difficult. Nami already warned you that he was a more quietly-inclined person, it wasn’t anything personal, he just wasn’t naturally talkative. But you noticed he seemed to be moreso whenever you were around. If he saw you seated for dinner before him, he’d sit in a different corner. If he spotted you on deck, either relaxing or training, he’d casually stroll off again in another direction. Then he just wouldn’t talk to you in general to begin with, unless absolutely necessary.

You’d finally had enough one night, more confused about what you could’ve possibly done to offend him than be offended yourself. So you silently waited, hidden in the rigging, for when you knew his night watch was.

Sure enough, you see him finally wander out of the cabin and begin his walk around the deck. Quietly as you knew how, you carefully slipped down the rigging and ropes, barefoot, until you crept up to within five feet of Zoro-

“What are you doing.”

You started, not too surprised he noticed your presence, but you waited until he actually turned around and looked at you, his usual deadpan expression painted on his face, wrist casually draped off the end of his sword.

You blinked. “Well mostly I had a question for you, and honestly this seemed the only way to make it happen,” you deadpanned back to him, hands loosely in your pockets.

A muscle ticked in his jaw, but that was it. “What’s the question.” His own words sounding more like statements than inquiries.

Shifting on your feet, suddenly a bit nervous, your gaze slipped to the deck beneath you.

“Did I do something to offend you?”

Now it’s Zoro’s turn to blink, surprised. “No. Why would you think that?” His arms cross, you notice his words sound forced.

You look up with a furrowed brow, a confused half smile growing. “You’re joking right? You’ve done nothing but blatantly avoid me since I stepped foot on the Going Merry. Why is that?”

You watched as Zoro remained seemingly unchanged from hearing the accusation, still as a statue. If you had befriended him by now, you’d be able to tell he was actually inwardly scrambling to come up with an excuse to avoid admitting the real answer out loud. Instead you waited, and when he continued his silence, you scoffed lightly, shifting back a couple steps as you started to circle him.

“Alright fine, how ‘bout this?” And you pull your blades from their sheaths, the scrape of metal ringing through the still night air as Zoro watches you, unmoved, from the corner of his eye and you continue circling.

“I’ve seen you fight, and you’ve seen me fight. If you win, I go back inside, no questions asked, and you finish your watch in peace. But if I win, you have to answer my question.” You finally came to a stop off to his right, in easy view of his sword, your feet casually shifting into a ready stance.

You watched as he contemplated it for a few seconds, before turning to you and carefully drawing the katana, the polished blade gleaming silver in the moonlight.

“Sounds fair.”

There was nothing but the sound of the faint breeze sweeping past and the creak of the deck and rigging as you both waited at the ready for who would start off the dance.

You shot forward, feet silent as your two blades met his in a loud ringing clang through the still night. Neither of you said a word as he pushed you off and continued the dance, both of you spinning and blocking, swaying and striking, the rings of metal on metal wavering like music. Where Zoro was like a force of wind in the flow of his movements, you were water, twisting and turning to either avoid or meet his single blade, only to strike with your own right after.

A brief reprieve when you broke apart momentarily had you glancing at your two blades. Looking back to Zoro you pointedly glanced at his one blade, before purposefully storing away one of your own, to match him more evenly. He merely cocked his head, watching, until this time he was the one to shoot forward to restart once again.

Despite having been at it for several minutes, you both seemed to gain a second wind for round two. The two of you now utilized your surroundings more, dodging between barrels, leaping over abandoned equipment, blade meeting blade without pause.

The fight seemed it might have to end in a stalemate with how evenly matched you were, until you saw an opportunity arise.

Spotting a loose piece of rope on the deck, you kicked it into Zoro’s feet, causing him to stumble just briefly enough for you to run at the barrel next to him, jump and leap off it, over Zoro himself, and rolling to a stop right behind him, before you quickly stayed in your crouch and spun your leg out hard into his, knocking him flat on his back.

By the time those couple seconds had passed and Zoro caught back up to the plot, he found the tip of your sabre at his throat, a soft smile on your face.

“Answer my question, please.”

The Demon was stunned enough by you beating him that he immediately answered without overthinking it.

“I was worried you’d want to replace me.”

Zoro watched as your smile immediately faded, briefly realizing he missed it for some reason, and saw your expression turn into bafflement, and then concern as you immediately lowered your blade and stumbled back a step, processing an answer you never expected.

As he pulled himself to his feet, sheathing his katana, you stared into space into the horizon, trying to rationalize why he of all people would have that fear, why he would fear you, until it clicked and you glanced back over to him, the same concern still evident on your features.

“Because we’re both swordsmen?” You voice ghosted over the air between you, still in disbelief.

Zoro looked uncomfortable again, his arms crossing as he avoided your glance.

“…Maybe.”

You watched him carefully for another moment before you sheathed your blade and cautiously approached him until you were a few feet away, still giving him space as you watched him continue to avoid your gaze.

Hesitantly, you finally spoke. “Zoro… you’re one of the best swordsmen out there. A pirate hunter so feared, they named you The Demon. Spared by Dracule Mihawk. And now you’re first mate to Luffy the Devil Fruit Eater,” you smile as you take one step forward. “I understand your concern, but I promise you it’s unfounded. I have no intention of replacing you on the crew. I’m good, but it’s not my dream to become the greatest. That’s your’s. I just want to be part of the crew, maybe also figure out my own fate.”

At that, Zoro finally looks back at you, something in his shoulders finally relaxing as he sees the honesty in your eyes and words as you wait for his reaction.

“And I’d much prefer us to be friends on this journey, rather than just opposite shadows who never speak,” you add into the silence.

You watch as he finally cracks the smallest smile at this, hope blooming in your chest as he now takes a step forward to close the gap more. He looks at you another moment before extending a hand between you both, an olive branch.

“Let’s start over then. I’m Roronoa Zoro.”

You grin back at him brightly as you recite your own name and take his hand in return.

[the-catboy-minyan]

I’m not sure I agree that the prince of Egypt never casts doubt on the existence of other gods,

Whenever the pharo’s magicians perform their own attempted miracles like conjuring snakes it’s alway’s done in shadow or behind a curtain, thus making it entirely plausible they’re just doing magic tricks, slight of hand and whatnot.

This is not a religious discussion simply a movie analyst’s lol.

this is true, and it's a point I kind of dislike about the movie, but what I've meant to say is that the movie never outright says that the Egyptian g-ds aren't real. (and if I did say "the movie never casts doubt" then my bad oopsie uwu)

this is 100% a display of "the Egyptian g-ds are doing nothing and the magicians are using tricks", but at no point does a character say "your g-ds are false! they're not doing anything! your magicians are a scam!" the most obvious interpretation is that the Egyptian g-ds are false, sure, but there's still room for other interpretations, such as:

the Egyptian g-ds can't perform the same type of miracles, and thus the magicians have to rely on tricks.

the magicians don't actually believe in the g-ds they worship and are abusing the role they're in.

the magicians assume they have to perform the same miracles because they've never seen their g-ds perform these types of miracles, so they're lacking faith (not tfhe same as having no faith).

meta argument: if the movie showed the magicians perform real miracles, that would mean that the Egyptian g-ds were 100% real in the story, and thus they're taking a stance. having it up for interpretation is much safer for a faithful interpretation of the story.

these are all potential interpretations that don't outright deny the existence of the Egyptian g-ds in the movie, but explain it as the them either not being as powerful or their followers lacking the same amount of faith the Hebrews have in their g-d.

and there's another g-d mentioned in the movie, I'm not sure from what religion, but it was the religion Moses's wife believed in, they've mentioned a g-d in their song or smth. that god's existence was never put into question and barely even mentioned. (she wasn't a Hebrew was she? I can't remember her outside of the movie)

and last thing, the g-d of the Hebrews was always presented AS the g-d of the Hebrews, and never just g-d, that's how he presented himself to Moses as well.

tldr: yeah, the movie isn't doing that much to present the Egyptian g-ds as real, but it's not outright dismissing them either, there's room for interpretation for both sides of the argument, and I believe that's intentional. again this is just looking at the movie and not the original story.

[oomisluvr]

ALL THE NIGHTS WE USED TO LOVE (HOW IT USED TO WAS)

synopsis: every relationship is bound to have arguments. it doesn't mean you love each other any less. angst. hurt/comfort. swearing.

Song: Childs Play (feat. Chance the Rapper) - SZA

“You’re neglecting your responsibilities as a girlfriend.”

You slide your bluelight glasses from your face, pinching the bridge of your nose to smooth out the indents you’re sure they’ve left behind. 

“Responsibilities?” You squint up at him from your place on the couch, eyes stinging from working on an essay the past four hours, “Like what? Cuddling? Back massages? A fucking handjob?

“Precisely all three of those things.” Though his height and overall demeanor allows him to loom over you, the facemask smoothed to his skin makes him look less than threatening, “Come to bed. It’s late.”

“Kiyoomi, it's barely eleven-o-clock.”

“Exactly,” He seethes, the facemask flopping a bit around his mouth, “I’m supposed to be in bed and asleep by ten-thirty!”

“Then get in the bed and go to sleep.” You snort, brushing him off and redirecting your attention to the unfinished google doc on your laptop. It sounds harsher than you intend, but you don’t have the emotional capacity to babysit his emotions right now. “I’ll be there in a bit.”

“You’ve been saying that for the past two hours.”

“And I already said sorry, alright?” You sigh, “Everything is just… a lot right now. Can you please just give me tonight to get this done?”

“No.” Something snaps in Kiyoomi, something ugly and childish stirring in his core. He reaches to shut your laptop closed, your fingers just barely making it out before being smushed. 

Furious, you turn to him, “What the fuck!”

“I’m trying to have a conversation with you and you won’t even look at me.”

“What conversation? I already told you,” You fume, “What part of ‘I’m working’ don’t you understand?”

“You’re always working, though.” he spits, looming over you, “It’s like you’re not even here anymore!” 

“I don’t complain when your job makes you disappear for months at a time,” you say, “I shut the fuck up and support you like a normal girlfriend does. Why can’t you do the same for me?”

“Watch it.” he damn near growls, and something about his tone has you standing to your feet to look him in his face.

“Or what, Kiyoomi?” you challenge, “Or fucking what? Are you threatening me now?” 

“I fucking miss you!” He explodes, “Is that so bad? Is it so evil to want to spend time with my partner?”

“You think I want to do this shit? I don't! I get treated like a doormat every single day, Kiyoomi!” You’re screaming, hot emotions overwhelming you and bubbling out, “But I do it because I’m building a career for myself, a future!”

Kiyoomi goes as still as a statue, studying your expression with a cold calculation you’ve only ever seen him use on the court. Finally, he asks, “And what about us? Our future? Does that matter at all to you?” 

“Are you kidding me? Is that a fucking joke?” You humorously laugh, “Are you giving me an ultimatum right now?”

He opens mouth to speak, but you raise your hand with alarming ease, dismissing him. 

“Actually, save it.” You decide, marching to the coat rack by the door, “I don’t need this right now. I have a fucking paper to write.”

It’s only when you grab your purse does Kiyoomi understand your intention to leave.

“Y/N, please. I’m asking if this even matters to you.” His voice cracks when he speaks, watching you toss on a heavy coat, “Because it feels like I’m more invested than you sometimes.”

“That is not fair.” You whisper, hand frozen on the door handle, “That’s bullshit. After all the shit we’ve gone through? Hell, after all the shit you’ve put me through, you don’t get to stand there and say I don’t care.”

“Can you stop putting words in my mouth?” he says, “Fuck, I’m not saying that’s what’s happening, I’m saying that’s how I feel.” 

You’re breathing hard, like you just ran a marathon. When you don’t respond, he continues, throwing himself down on the couch cushions.

“I feel like I’m… losing you; like you’re slipping through my fingers and there’s nothing I can do but watch. When was the last time we went on a fucking date? When was the last time we had a normal conversation without it blowing up like this?” He sighs, and you see the exhaustion in his eyes. You’re both tired. 

“I just…” He trails off, the last of his anger fizzling into something raw and vulnerable, “I just miss you. That’s it. I miss you, Y/N. All I wanted was to fall asleep next to you. I didn’t mean to blow up on you. I’m sorry.”

His honestly stings worse than if he would have just let the argument escalate. Communication used to be such a struggle for the two of you, and sometimes those old habits come back. You’re both in the wrong, and the realization feels like a slap in the face. The words you used, your tone, your volume–that’s not how you speak to people you love. 

And you do love Kiyoomi, despite everything.

“Don’t apologize when I’m the one who should be sorry.” You whisper, shrugging off your coat and hanging up your purse. You approach him on the sofa, shame heavy in your heart, “You were only trying to look out for me. It wasn’t fair of me to go off on you. You didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry, Kiyoomi.”

“Are we…” He starts, staring at you with bloodshot eyes. He looks scared. Vulnerable. You wonder how many people had abandoned his younger self, what buried emotions you unearthed, “Are we going to be okay?”

The question hangs in the air, unanswered. Relationships were so much fucking work. They were exhausting, and took a real effort to keep both parties happy.

But they’re worth it. Kiyoomi was worth it.

He’s been there for you, and you for him. He’s seen all your good and all your bad, and still loves you the same. The two of you have struggled hard to create careers for yourself, fighting tooth and nail for even a shred of recognition in your respective fields. It’s been hard on the both of you. And as bills stack and debts pile, it only gets harder.

You grit your teeth. It’s been tough, but the two of you are tougher. You’ve come so far. Love bends, but it won’t break. You won’t let it. It was you two against the world. Always will be. These petty fights would never change that.

Sometimes difficult to like, but always easy to love. He’s fully, wholly, entirely yours. 

And you, his.

“Yes,” You say, and it’s not a lie, “We’ll be okay.”

“Okay,” He nods, eyes still glazed over with an emotion you don’t quite recognize, “We’ll be okay.” 

Your hands find his, pulling him up from the couch, “Let’s go to bed.”

“No, it’s fine.” He deflects with a breathless chuckle, “I know you really need to finish this. I can survive one night alone.”

“I just need to add my sources by noon tomorrow. I’ll be fine.” You say, and Kiyoomi knows you both need this, “Let’s go to bed, baby.”

He caves, following you to the bedroom. He helps you with your skincare. You two will be okay. You both apologize a dozen more times to each other. Kiyoomi laughs when he realizes he’s had a facemask on that entire time. You two will be okay. You tell him you love him, and he says it back to you. He promises to take you out for lunch tomorrow. 

You two will be okay.

[ecoamerica]

Watch the 2024 American Climate Leadership Awards for High School Students now: https://youtu.be/5C-bb9PoRLc

The recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by student climate leaders! Join Aishah-Nyeta Brown & Jerome Foster II and be inspired by student climate leaders as we recognize the High School Student finalists. Watch now to find out which student received the $25,000 grand prize and top recognition!

[margridarnauds]

If I may ask another, Romeo et Juliette?

A musical that I have a very, very complex relationship with.

It was one of my first French musicals -- not one of my favorites (I have ALWAYS been an Atia and Chouet girl), but one of my first. Good music, Aimer was one of my eternal, lovestruck romantic songs from my teen years, the OTP song to end all OTP songs; Verona was one of my favorite musical songs (once an Escalus fucker, always an Escalus fucker), I loved C'est le Jour (being used to historical lit and period dramas means I have....no reaction to first cousin marriages, so I shipped Tybalt/Juliet, sorry lads.)

There used to be a dedicated French musicals fandom on here, so I was talking with people who were more invested in it than I was, me and a friend once listened to the London cast together and memed it to death. And when that community imploded, I joined the RetJ fandom more specifically after a couple of years. And...I did enjoy it. I was mainly in my own little corner, but I was talking about it, I was creating content for it. I didn't agree with everything, especially the way that Japanese productions were routinely dismissed, and I thought that people could be very harsh on individual productions in a way that wasn't particularly fun, but...I did enjoy the experience. I did enjoy working with other people, especially since, as a Toho fan and ESPECIALLY as an Escalus fan (and as someone who really cares about the women more than Mercutio), I was very locked in my own little corner with a few other people.

I fell in love with the musical. And with Shakespeare's original. I still think that this is My Adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, because it is really wonderfully faithful while modernizing it without being grimdark or cynical (yes, even the Hungarian.)

And...I refuse to go into details, because I have no intention of dredging up old ghosts, but it ended. Badly. I evacuated myself from the communities I was part of, leaving them to someone who hated me because I didn't want to split the fandom. I wanted to leave quietly, discretely, while potentially keeping some bonds. They used it as an excuse to spread their smear campaign to my old circles, something that I only found out about over a year later. No one bothered to tell me. I noticed that people were pulling away, some people have even blocked me on here, or else quietly unfollowed me, but I didn't know why and I tried to convince myself it was paranoia. I reached out to someone and they assured me that nothing had been said about me. Something I later learned was untrue. I won't accuse that person of lying, because I don't have a timeline, and I understand wanting to keep the peace, but my reputation and my mental stability were NOT acceptable collateral damage. I was suicidal, dammit, and I'm not just mad at the people who started the smear campaign, but the people who didn't bother to listen to me when I needed them the most.

And...I would say I'm not bitter about it, but actually, I am. Of COURSE I'm bitter about it. Even if I wasn't the most active member, I was there for years. I deserved better. And it has profoundly impacted the way that I still carry myself in a fandom context, because some part of me is always looking behind my shoulder. (I. Have never been able to join the BG3 fandom in the way I'd have liked to for a number of reasons, including my ongoing fear caused by this incident.)

...but, by the same token, I did rebuild myself, bit by bit, with Takarazuka musicals, including the Zuka RetJ. I wrote RetJ fanfic for myself and, without having a fandom to worry about appeasing, I wrote what I wanted -- some of my longest fics of the last three years have been Benvolio/Escalus fics that I almost CERTAINLY wouldn't have published when I had the dead weight attached.

So -- gorgeous musical, the Toho production will eternally have a place in my heart. I'm very happy that I can look at it without shaking now.

[ceceliadestrade]

TASK 001 Five Songs for Cecelia

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Nina Simone

Please... nothing will ever fit her better than 'I'm just a soul whose intentions are good'. The lyric encapsulates everything that Cecelia has strived for her entire life. Even now in Redwood, no matter what decision she makes, what she says in a conversation, she's just trying her hardest to keep up a kind front and lend a sympathetic ear to others. It's all she can hope for.

(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay Otis Redding

Ultimately just a song about sitting and observing the environment around you, Cecelia's favorite activity. If there's one thing she can be counted on to do, it's to sit quietly and watch the world turn around her. The song maintains a pleasant beat, even as the lyrics describe having to leave everything you've ever known. It has the sunshine disposition, as well as the sad undertone, to stand for everything I see in her.

So Far Away Carole King

I think there's something just innately in her heart about being left behind, forgotten, ignored. Listening to this song really hits home the loneliness that is just intrinsic to her character. Nothing stays in place for her, and she cannot go back to a way it all was, it's never been the same. It's easy to interpret the face at her door as being her father, but it could easily be any figure from her past. I think up until Redwood, she was easy to dismiss as transient, and to count her out early. To be near someone is a great wish of hers.

These Days Nico

It's easy nowadays to sit and think about all the choices that were lost when everything changed. So much happened so quickly, and it's hard for a mind as analytical as hers to really parse how one can deal with it all alone. It's good now to look at the days around her, to process everything slowly, to stem the flow of loss and just breath. There's something so very tender in the song, but still an obvious sense of loss in what could have become of the singer's life, of Cecelia's.

Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel

Such a Cecelia moment. She'd lay herself down for anyone who needed it, hoping to help them find some solace in the world. There is something so inherently loving and selfless in the lyrics, finding the place where you know you're needed, and being able to actually help. Also, there's something motivational to her every gesture, that she'll be able to find that bridge over troubled water, even now.

[demadogs]

I can understand people getting angry about what might happen next with this love triangle shittery in st, but i've seen people dismissing the crew 's job over it. Saying stuff like the music it's just for the melody and stuff like that and i just won't ... I WON'T accept people belittling the amazing job all the crew is doing. ST is not just the scripts or the actors. Actually, i'm pretty sure even a show like ST would be pretty shitty without sound, music, lighting, costume, etc. People keep forgetting how many people are behind this show. Sure, the Duffers are the creators and the actors are the show's face. But believe me you wouldn't be watching it if there wasn't anyone behind a camera filming it for you to enjoy.

THIS SHOW WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT THE MUSIC!!!!!!! yall are saying noah or millie carry this show on their backs!!?? nah it is KYLE DIXON AND MICHAEL STEIN!!!!!!! no other show’s original score comes even remotely CLOSE to how much i love stranger things’ oh my god i eat this synth music UP. and the music they choose is so intentional!!! when theyre in the upside down this season putting their hands through the glittery dust in the lights to communicate to dustin, lucas, and erica, they played the song from season one “one blink for yes”, which was the song they played when joyce first saw the lights flickering. and theres no way them playing eulogy during mike and el’s fight was an accident!

not to mention the set and costume design!! its insane. i really wish there was like a documentary or more behind the scenes footage that show how they shoot everything, especially max’s running up that hill scene, because god ITS SO GOOD!!!!!

[borealis-hopping]

((WARNING LMAO, this post turned out a lot longer than I thought it would, sorry. Autistic idiot rambles about Jack Stauber for multiple paragraphs.))

TLDR; Watching Jack get popular as a fan who was there before he went viral has been great, however, most people only seem to view his art as nothing but a vehicle for their own. Taking inspiration from other people's art for your art is wonderful and fine, however if you ONLY view someone's art as nothing but a vehicle for your own, it's not great. Doing so ignores the intention behind it, covers up it's original meaning, separates it from it's artist, and ultimately strips it of it's worth as an individual art piece, even if that wasn't your intention at all. ((Also pls listen to more than just the same 4 songs, he has a pretty big amount of music out there and it's all really good, give it a try and stop listening to nothing but "Buttercup"))

vv Thoughts below vv

________________________________

Look it's 1am so idk if I'll word my exact feelings on this as ideally as I'd want to but like, I have mixed feelings on the fan base that has formed around Jack Stauber's work.

While yes it is good he's getting popular, and yes it is good he's finding success after all his years of work, and yes I'm happy people are enjoying his music, I can't help but find the fan base that has formed around his music to be fairly disingenuous.

And by disingenuous I mean, most people don't tend to care about the art of the music itself, what any of it actually means, or the heart and intentions put into it, or really Jack himself. Now ik this makes me sound like a pretentious dickbag, but it comes from a place of care.

I love Jack Stauber's work because it's so interesting to me. Not cause "oh wow it's so weird and fucked up!! Jack must be such a fucked up edgy guy to make such surreal art LOL." But because of the amount of soul is in his work.

I think people are too fast to dismiss surreal art as meaningless or weird simply for the sake of being weird, completely missing any thought the artist put into it. Like, if you have the capacity to suspend your disbelief even for a second and look past his arts surreal aspects, you'll see just how /human/ Jack's writing and art is.

While I'm not generalizing EVERY thing he's made or is going to make, ultimately I think Jack's work is about humanity. Human struggle both internal and external, with relationships, grief, communication, and the complexities of self image.

If you pay attention to how he writes his characters, all the dialogue feels really authentic. Like yeah I can imagine passing a person in public who sounds like that or would say that, or I could totally see a person in that context talking like that. He seems to have a really good understanding of people.

The way he portrays them is honest but not nihilistic. They're just people, and sometimes people are a bit weird, or awkward, or just plain dumb. But they're still people and they're not evil for being that way.

Even in Jack's more surreal shorts or songs, if you pay attention to the lyrics and context clues, you can probably derive meaning from it that in one way or another is fairly human and sincere.

Ofc surreal art that is weird or funny or off putting simply for the sake of being so has plenty of worth as well, and I'm sure Jack has just had fun here and there making strange stuff for the sake of making strange stuff. (Think "Nerpo") and that's valid too!

But ig what I'm getting at here is that, more often than not the majority of engagement I see w/ Jack Stauber's work outside of his YouTube channel, is people simply using his work as a vehicle for their own characters or stories, or fandoms.

Now I'm in no way saying that doing that stuff is inherently bad. I do it all the time! Finding inspiration from other artists as a way to express and expand your own art is beautiful and extremely fun, HOWEVER-

That seems to be the /ONLY/ type of engagement there is. Which, sadly, isn't great. Using someone else's pre-made art, especially music, as a vehicle for your own fandom/art isn't bad, however, if you ONLY view that person's art as nothing BUT a vehicle, even if it's not your intention, you completely lose sight of the art you're riding off of. You separate it from it's artist, disregard it's original meaning, cover up the intentions behind it, and ultimately kinda strip it of its own individual worth as a piece of art.

Anyways! Enjoying Jack's work is good but I wish more people would appreciate his work for what it is on it's own, as well as who Jack is as an artist and look at his work with a more realistic and proper perspective even if it does look "weird" or "pointlessly creepy"

Also this is a bit more petty and just how I feel but PLEASE listen to more than just the same 3 to 4 songs. There's nothing wrong with having favorite songs or just listening to the same few songs from an artist and not exploring the rest of their work, and like idc if saying this makes me sound like a shitty hipster- if you're gonna do that just PLEEAASE stop walking around and telling people you're this BIG Jack Stauber fan when the only songs you listen to are "Oh Klahoma" "Coffee" and "Buttercup"

He has SUCH a big selections of tracks out there if you include both the extended and non-extended micropop songs, as well as his albums. My personal favorite album is "HiLo", it means a lot to me and is getting me through a pretty tough time in my life rn. I recommend ALL of his music! Even his very first album, and the stuff at the start of his YouTube channel.

There's even people trying to compile his "lost media" on SoundCloud. Old and unreleased music he never put on YouTube. It's a fun thing to look into if you feel up to it!

[inspiteallthedanger]

The Lennon estate Instagram posts for Paul... How do you explain them? I hate reading too much into things, we all know to be always sceptical. But... MULTIPLE posts with THESE particular lyrics and Paul and John together on them ... like, it's just way beyond what you'd expect from a proper birthday congratulation post, isn't it? Or am I feelings things too easily? Gosh it's so lovely, though, I hope Paul sees it. Maybe afterlife exists and John sent it. Or maybe in this life, despite all, people intuitively know what's the truth (or the truth of feelings, or the truth that must have been or the truth that we all wish for) and someone behind that Instagram was really brave today.

I genuinely don't think they mean anything other than the most surface level reading: this is a cute song about nostalgia and looking back, and here are some pictures of Paul and John together for his birthday, in the same way you'd do for any of your mates. Of course they're suggesting John loved Paul; he did love Paul. Most people will be viewing it through a heteronormative lens of they're besties. 99% of people won't think twice about it.

While they might be aware that it could be taken as a romantic declaration, I doubt they're worried that any mainstream fan will assume it means that. Because if you did assume that, you'd have to assume this is how the estate has chosen to out John. Which... is so unlikely it'll be dismissed. Same with most people thinking that it means the song is about Paul. It's just a fitting choice (and they knew Happy Birthday was taken by the official account).

I don't see it as manipulative. Shippers are not the main audience by such a huge margin, they wouldn't factor into any decision making process at all. Which, I honestly, sincerely hope remains the case forever.

That said, it's super fun to point at it all and say, "Seems gay, bro". Like, it's super fun. So this isn't me saying we can't do that (you all saw me reblogging the posts doing exactly that). I'm just answering what I think the actual intent was.

But, anyway. YES! I really hope Paul saw it (I'd be amazed if he didn't get told) and that it made him happy. It's so great that they're talking about it and not just in a throwaway post.

[madhogthymaster]

A Non-Committal, Short Review of the "Barbie" Film

After many tribulations, I finally managed to watch the Barbie film, in an arena with annexed bar, atop a small hill, above the bustling of a small lake town. It's probably the second best environment for the showing right after a loudly coloured vacation villa. Life in Plastic is Fantastic and all that.

Since this is technically a film review in the loosest possible term, have a disclaimer! Just replace the word "video" and "filmed" with "random blog" and "typed."

Now, I shall begin this non-committal thought bubble on the Barbie experience by saying that I had an absolute blast, all throughout it: the impeccable set designs, casting choices, rapid-fire jokes that never miss ensured my time with it would be nothing short of delightful. Margot Robbie was the ideal choice both in breathing life into the "stereotypical doll" as well as humanizing her whilst Ryan Gosling redefined the very concept of "Simping" with his tragicomic Ken. That said, it has a few issues.

Director Greta Gerwig's vision is ambitiously incongruous in the sense that it attempts to capture on film the complete ethos of Barbie (TM), the very idea, its complicated status symbol within pop culture, its controversial yet ubiquitous role in Society, its meaning and iconography in relation to how the perceptions of Womanhood and Femininity have evolved since its creation, etcetera.

In doing so, too much meat is placed on the proverbial grill. Barbie tries to say something meaningful about the objectification of the female body perpetrated by Capitalism as well as the commodification of Feminism as another form of profit. It tries to be a satire of toxic masculinity, entitlement and The Patriarchy, the disillusionment of it all which then moves on to a semi-radical Feminist power fantasy, ultimately landing on the Existential question of what it means to be a "real" woman and the pressure to be "perfect" according to an ever changing and completely arbitrary ideal imposed by a male dominated world.

There is so much it wants to cover that it couldn't quite firmly land on most of its topics, resulting in a film that seems somewhat unfocused. So, we have an undeniably creative project, with a vision behind it, that crashes against its own weight. That's especially frustrating when it reaches the inevitable moment where the corporate interests behind it align with the theming of "relatability" - because it sells, you see, and that's the actual punchline. Make no mistake, though, it's still a great watch.

The points that actually do manage to resonate hit hard and the emotional throughline of "Stereotypical Barbie" as she gains self-awareness, and self-acceptance, is definitely there but, above all else, this is a legitimately funny film.

It would be easy to dismiss Barbie as a cynical PR campaign for a "Woke" brand who has embraced "Social Progress" and "Relatability" because there's money to be made by exploiting the very criticisms that were levied against its decisively checkered history - and yes, that's exactly what this film is, even as it acknowledges said history.

In truth, there's an actual heart to Barbie, a weird sincerity that comes out in spite (or because) of itself, of its mere existence. It's made with Love, with Passion and with Intent. It's imperfect and that's OK because being perfect is just a toxic projection. At the end of the day, it made me laugh and it made me pay attention when it mattered the most and those are the unmistakable signs of an enjoyable work of fiction. This one goes on the fridge, right next to The LEGO Movie - and not just because they share a Will Farrell between them.

Then again, they didn't play the original Barbie Girl song in the end credits, so it's a 0/10.

[signfromuniversetips]

The Science Behind Signs from the Universe and Their Meaning

Have you ever experienced a sign from the universe? Perhaps you've noticed a repeated pattern or seen a specific symbol that seemed to hold meaning for you. While some may dismiss these signs as coincidence or imagination, there is actually scientific evidence to suggest that they are real. Click Here https://blog.mindvalley.com/signs-from-universe/  For More Info. 

According to quantum physics, everything in the universe is connected through a field of energy. This energy field, known as the quantum field, is said to be responsible for the creation and manifestation of our reality. When we focus our thoughts and intentions on a specific outcome, we can tap into this energy field and manifest our desires.

One way the universe communicates with us is through signs and symbols. These signs can come in many forms, such as animals, numbers, or even songs. They are believed to hold meaning and can guide us towards our goals and purpose.

The meaning of these signs is subjective and can vary from person to person. For example, seeing a butterfly might hold significance for one person because it reminds them of a loved one who has passed away, while for another person it might represent transformation and growth.

The key is to be open to receiving these signs and interpreting their meaning for yourself. Trust your intuition and pay attention to the patterns and symbols that appear in your life. By doing so, you may be able to harness the power of the universe and manifest your deepest desires.

[cloudslou]

rant anon again, hiiii! thank you for replying :)

"but it can be very exhausting when its the only lens ppl use to look at their art. not only is it just a tad annoying, i think its pretty dismissive and reductive to take that approach every time." -> yes. YES that's exactly what i was trying to say, thank you for putting it into better words.

"there is so much more to a song (or any piece of art) than its "true" meaning (and i say that liberally because even when larries connect on of hl's songs to the other or their real lives, this is no more "true" than connecting a song to a girlfriend, etc, i think there's too much certainty by fans in this fandom) and it limits ur enjoyment of a song i think to not push to break out of that box." -> omg thank your for bringing that up, i actually had that in mind too and wanted to discuss it with someone. i know, I KNOW!!!!!! it feels like some people in the fandom present their ideas and their interpretations (is that the right word?) as the only correct ones when it comes to song meanings and lyrics and references and it makes me so mad. i totally respect people having opinions and being passionate about the meaning of something but thinking YOUR viewing of something is the only correct one is so. bleh. we don't actually know the true meaning of a song (or as you said, any form of media) because 1. it doesn't exist!!!!! there's not just one meaning in art!!!!! 2. the only one who knows the "true meaning" in something are the artists themselves. yeah, fan theories are fun and stuff but not when you're like okay guys i got it!!! this means this and that means that and you have to think the same as me!! also, in my opinion, over-explaining and over-analysing "kills" x piece of art. (in our case, songs and mvs and whatever else) you don't have to find a certain meaning behind every song, every lyric, every word, you know what i'm saying?

thank you again for the time and patience! nice chatting with you 😊

yes u have it right w interpretations!!! i think many ppl, and not thru malice or intent, end up w the attitude of "my interpretations are the only right interpretations" (if you dont see the clear mean of the sushi mv, ur wrong! if you dont think X t shirt is a reference to Y, you're not looking closely enough! etc etc)

i think its quite fun when we actually have a wide variety of interpretations and different parts of songs/mvs resonate with us, and for different reasons. it would be so much less fun to exist on 1d tumblr if everyone always came to the same conclusions and had the same ideas about art. and i also think its quite fun to take a piece of art (song or mv or what have you) and let it sit on its own, regardless of who is singing it, what album its on, and ask what it could be telling us. what story is there? what story COULD be there? i think its fun to be moved to different interpretations based on ME and my own experiences and life and what kinds of art connects w me.

but i also agree with you that not everything needs to be explained, or over-explained. there's a lot of things abt their lyrics and lyricism that i think gets hyper-focused on, as if its autobiographical, verbatim truth, and its helpful for me to remind myself that songwriters often change facts in their writing; taylor swift originally had "brown eyes" instead of "green eyes" (a lyric that predates even the earliest recording of sparks fly), and didnt niall say that his song san francisco is actually about a different city, but san fran fit better in the song? or did i make that up? AND even w that, many lines end up being phrased how they are, or exist at all, because a verse necessitates it. the melody necessitates it. some or a lot of specific references may be accurate to real life (for example, i dont think "princess park" was inserted for songwriting purposes, thats a very specific reference that doesnt need to be that specific), but i think its better to look at a whole song rather than zero-in, if you want to talk about meaning.

[stanurines1mp]

Dark Red

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Fem!Reader (she/her)

type: angst

an: i miss levi so i decided to write one for him. last night i read literally one of the saddest angst oneshot of Levi and i was crying sm. so i wanted to do smtng like that but not as sad as that one. it's pretty short but i dont know how to make it longer eheh. also, this oneshot is inspired by the song Dark Red by Steve Lacy.

warnings: death, angst, mentions of blood, canonverse. i think that's all. let me know if i missed anything.

~~~

Something's bad gonna happen later, Levi.

He could feel the taste of salt that took the form of his tears that ever endlessly fell on his complexion. He could smell the pungent scent of death still taking place on his grey shirt.

I don't know what but it will.

I can feel it.

Your words were so clear with worry. Yet he dismissed them because he couldn't handle the thought of experiencing that sole possibility. But now there he sat on his knees, eyes flooding heavily, arms weighed by the force of you.

Promise me you'll be careful, Levi.

Levi remembered promising you to it. His words mimicked yours. But it wasn't enough for you. You needed more than just his words.

So he rolled his eyes at your childish but seriously worrying demeanor. He noticed that his sassy remark didn't earn a sweet giggle from your lips the way it usually would.

That silence of yours was a giveaway that you were being serious. Reluctantly, Levi took a deep breath, letting out an exhale softly. His eyes bore on you so lovingly, he didn't think he could ever look at anyone like that.

"I promise, my love," he whispered, interlocking his pinky finger with yours.

"Thank you," you relaxed, watching with a small smile of adoration as Levi brought your interlocked fingers to his lips.

"Feel better now, my darling?" he smiled against the small skin of your knuckles.

"Much," you giggled, pulling your hand away from his lips to be replaced with your own. "You always have such a pretty smile, Levi."

"Not even as close as yours, my beautiful Y/N."

You insisted on staying by his side at all times. So there you leaned, body slightly bent behind the roof, hiding from any strange eyes.

You were waiting on that roof with Nifa, the soldier Erwin had sent to relay a message the night before. She had joined along the operation.

You and Nifa closely watched the surroundings for any suspicious activity, your eyes glued on the secret carriage that contained both Eren and Historia. Soon, Levi joined on the same roof.

He was a little further from you and Nifa but it was close enough for you all to converse quietly. And quiet was something you needed for this mission.

Levi was telling something to you both but you already knew the story. It was of the man deemed as Kenny the Ripper. Also known as the man who had taken Levi under his wing for a few years when the Captain was younger.

Your eyes were focused on Levi, noticing each shift in the grey pair of orbs that he wore. He was worried, more than usual. Suspicion arose in his calm facade while he looked down.

"He is real and the stories are true," Levi explained, eyes still blank as memories of the said man flashed through. "I lived with him for a while when I was a kid."

"What? Why did you suddenly bring this up? This is no time for jokes," Nifa blushed, slightly laughing.

Though your ears were intently listening on Levi, your eyes were focused on the carriage. You heard the small sound that left Levi's lips, gaining your attention.

He let out a loud call of your name and Nifa's. You turned around. You heard him before you actually saw him.

The sound of a loud gunshot pierced through your hearing and your eyes met the sight of Nifa's face blown off. A tall man was getting on the roof, one gun pointed to Nifa while the other pointed to Levi.

Levi had managed to swerve from the hit. When the unknown man was about to pull the trigger on you, you activated your gear and swung to the neighboring roof.

"Hey, Levi," the deep voice of the tall man rumbled. "Are you all grown up already?" He chuckled darkly, taking slow steps across the roof.

He cheered loudly when he swung over the air using a gear that looked much like the one you had on. His two guns were pointed towards the love of your life.

"It doesn't look like you've changed at all."

You felt a figure crawling up the roof behind you. Drawing out your blades, you moved your blades swiftly across the figure's neck.

You watched as the figure fell with a thud but your eyes quickly went back to Levi. You watched with extreme worry as Levi drew out his blades, eyes wide with anger.

"KENNY!"

Levi's voice growled loudly, invisibly introducing you to the tall man who had suddenly appeared and attacked them. Kenny the Ripper.

Before Kenny could pull the trigger, Levi threw one of his blades before quickly hooking his gear elsewhere. You followed him, scared and confused, but mostly worried.

This was it. The bad thing.

A sudden appearance from human-killing monsters. Except they themselves are human.

You managed to swerve through all the gunshots. There was nothing you could really do to fight them because they had guns. But you had blades.

From a distanced range, their weapon was much more affective and lethal compared to yours and Levi. So you followed him but again, he was Humanity's Strongest Soldier. The fastest person when it came to using ODM gear.

You were ready to shield him through the mercenaries that surrounded you all while still moving as fast as you could. As you zipped through an alley, you felt a bullet graze through your calf. You let out a scream but you kept your ocmposure on air.

"Levi, there's too many of them," you grunted softly through the pain.

The mercenaries were fast but not as fast as him. He could escape them. But could you?

"We'll manage," he growled but his anger was not towards you so you didn't take offence for his tone.

Levi rushed forward, kicking his way through a bar. You followed suit, carefully landing on the ground while he was planted on the bar. He let out a disgruntled sound upon feeling the blood that oozed on his face.

"Levi, was that-"

"Yes," he answered, eyes widening at the returning sight of your injured leg.

You limped towards him and he helped you up on the bar. Levi came up with a plan. You assured him that you can move just as well even with your wounded leg.

The blood had stopped flowing and there was no way you were going to let him go through this alone. You had faith he could.

But you felt better knowing someone was with him. And it would be the greatest honor to be with him.

You sat under the bar next to Levi, hearing as Kenny rambled on about hobbies or some nonsensical shit which you didn't care to listen. While the man droned on, you just stared at Levi, waiting for his moment to strike.

He swung the rifle over his head and pulled the trigger blindly, causing Kenny to launch outside. You followed behind him towards the window, using a chair as diversion while one of the assasins fired shots at it.

"Is your leg okay?" He quickly whispered.

"I know this isn't the time but that was very hot," you panted, ignoring the pain of your leg.

"Y/N," he warned sternly.

"Sorry but it's true," you shrugged, trying to steady your breathing.

But time was of the essence.

Once the assasin was in the state of confusion when he saw the broken chair, you and Levi activated your gear, the hooks impaled through the assasins. You managed to kill quite a number of them and it was going well.

Your focus was parted between Levi and the carriage that held Eren and Historia. You two continued to zip through the city trying to get to the vehicle.

The other Scouts soon joined and again, everything was going so well. Until your eyes caught sight of one of the blonde assasins with her gun pointed towards Levi.

Everything happened so fast. One second, Levi was swinging through the air, the next, he landed on the ground harshly. All the while, a loud gunshot could be heard.

No, he thought.

"No, no, no," Levi's words repeated like an echo.

"GO!" You screamed, the pain from your leg added by the hole in your stomach.

Your body fell on the ground but your eyes were in a warn to Levi. You didn't want him to lose focus of the mission.

Unwillingly, Levi continued forward and you can see the drop of tear that fell onto his cheek. You had no idea how long you laid there.

No matter how hard you tried, you just couldn't. The pain pulled you back down.

You could feel the tears in your eyes surfacing then falling then resurfacing again. You could hear faint sounds of gunshots from afar.

Your lips were moving in a prayer.

Suddenly, you felt Levi's familiar figure land down beside you. His hands quickly found home in your touch, arms enveloping you. He tried to lift you up, bring you somewhere safe but the weight of your body was too heavy.

"No, no, no," he cried.

"Levi," you croaked out, gaining his attention. "Levi," you called again.

"I'm here, darling, I'm here," he caressed the skin of your cheeks.

"Put me down, Levi," you cooed, eyes welled up with pleas.

"No, no, I'm ge-"

"Please," you cried.

"I can still save you-"

"Levi, it's okay," you gave him a smile.

A tired, sad, defeated smile. Too far different than the one that often formed on your complexion. But still, it was a smile. It was your smile.

"It's okay," you whispered softly.

How could you say that?

How could you dying be okay?

How could it ever be okay?

"No-"

"Levi, please," you smiled again. "Put me down."

So he did. He didn't want to.

How could he ever want to?

But he did anyway. Because you wanted him to.

"Can you do something for me, Levi?" You reached up to touch his hand that was pressed on your bleeding stomach.

"Anything, Y/N, anything," he assured, wiping away the tear that fell on your cheek.

"Can I see your smile again, please?"

Levi could almost hear the sound of his heart shattering into pieces.

All because you wanted to see his smile.

He let out an accidental laugh. It was so low that only you could hear. You couldn't help but laugh as well. His small laughter settled and his lips relaxed into a smile. All the while, the tears never once stopped.

"You always have such a pretty smile."

Promise me you'll be careful, Levi.

Something bad's gonna happen.

I can feel it.

Be careful.

Be careful.

Be careful.

Promise me.

You made him promise. You made him promise to be careful because something was going to happen.

You knew. You knew something was going to happen.

So why weren't you careful?

Why did you make him promise when you yourself said nothing?

I should have made you promised, Y/N, he thought.

A loud scream of rage escaped him, scaring not just his squad but the citizens around as well.

Now there he sat on his knees, eyes flooding heavily, arms weighed by the force of you.

Your body.

Your dead body.

The only things filling his thoughts were your words, your smile, your memories.

You always had such a pretty smile.

Don't you give me up.

Please don't give up.

I love you, Levi.

Only you, darling.

"Only you, my girl," he sobbed, a hand rested on your tombstone.

His head hung low, body supported by his knees. The grass tickled under the fabrics of his pants.

His thumb rubbed gently against your grave. His right hand put down your favourite flowers against the stone before going back to his left knee.

His fingers dug deep in his pants. Anger, grief, pain flooded him.

He'll avenge you. He'll find a way.

Because even in the death, you, Y/N L/N, are the love of his life.

He loved you.

Only you, darling.

[telehxhtrash]

A masterpost on Togashi’s gay subtext and why it’s intentional.

Hi ! After seeing so many posts about Togashi dropping subtext about Killua's possible romantic feelings for Gon, I thought it'd be a good idea to make a sort of "masterpost" with all the subtext that Togashi has included into his work.

I usually see a lot of people trying to say that HxH isn't about romance and that Togashi isn't interested in writing romance into the manga, but when you analyze all the subtext that's been going on the further Gon and Killua's relationship progresses, I think it's incorrect to say that Togashi has never hinted at the possibility of romance in HxH.

This is going to be a long post, enjoy your read!

Also, please note that I will only base this analysis on the manga, so there can be no mistake that "maybe this is just something the anime made gayer" : i want to prove that the subtext is 100% intentional on Togashi's part.

I'd also like to mention, although I will analyze it further after listing the subtext, that Togashi is a VERY smart man. There are always little details in the story and/or foreshadowing that are easily missed at first but when you notice them, it truly makes you understand how much attention and care Togashi puts into his work. There are countless details and symbolism that are analyzed daily through wonderful meta posts, from the main 4′s birthdays and their link to their character or the religious symbolism in Kurapika’s story arc.... Togashi loves to foreshadow and plant little details into his work, so when Togashi plants subtext, I'm sure he 100% knows that he's writing it, and it can't be seen as unintentional.

I'll also link all my references for this post at the end of it, so feel free to read all the additional textposts and content if you want to know more.

Well, let's get into it!

EDIT : i can’t believe this post is still being used as a reference it makes me so happy... thank you so much !!! i edited this to tweak it a bit because i wrote this a while ago and the phrasing seemed off to me, so if you’re reading or re-reading this post, hi, welcome to masterpost on gay subtext 2.0 !

GREED ISLAND ARC

Greed Island is to me the arc that lays down the nature of Killua and Gon's relationship. It's during this arc that we get to see a bit more of what Killua thinks, how he's lucky to have met Gon and that he feels really grateful. Gon’s behavior in this arc is also very affectionate, with him always reassuring Killua about his place next to him. While the scene where Killua thinks "You've got it backwards, Gon, I'm the one that's glad I met you." can't be considered as subtext, I think it's something that lets the reader know a bit more about how Killua feels towards Gon. 

But other than this scene, which can clearly be dismissed as platonic, there are 2 more moments in the Greed Island arc that are layered in subtext.

• The Rainbow Diamond (chapter 151)

During their time in Dorias, Killua uses Risky Dice to gain cards from the slot machines. The first card that Killua gains is called "Rainbow Diamond", the description of the card being "A diamond that shines in a rainbow of colors. Propose with this diamond and she is guaranteed to say "yes"". 

There are 3 different things we can take from this panel. First, the card is a marriage proposal card, so it's obviously romantic in nature. Second, the object is a RAINBOW diamond. And third, Killua, wanting to keep the card safe, gifts it to Gon.

In short, Togashi sat down at his desk, decided to draw Killua winning a MARRIAGE PROPOSAL CARD (it could've been any card, but Togashi CHOSE to make Killua win a marriage proposal card) that has a RAINBOW diamond on it and made Killua gift it to Gon. 

While I personally don't think that subtext can be used to 100% ascert that Killua has romantic feelings for Gon, I think it's a funny little touch from Togashi, and I'm even gonna say a sort of hint towards how Killua's feelings for Gon are going to evolve in this arc and the next.

• “It has to be Killua” (chapter 166)

Now this is a scene that I've never seen anyone talk about, at least on Tumblr, but when I read a bit of analysis on it I was 100% convinced this was intentional subtext. I'm basically quoting here what this article explains, so if you want more detail, I recommend reading it.

As you probably recall, during their deadly dodgeball game against Razor, Killua decides to sacrifice his hands to ensure that Gon could use all his strength. When confronted about it, Killua insists that it's nothing, and Gon shocks him by saying that he knew all along that he was hurting himself for his sake. 

Gon then says that it can only be Killua holding the ball, and that it has to be Killua, resulting in Killua being absolutely awestruck and embarassed. I'm also going to talk about the anime adaptation for this one, because it's perfectly executed and translates extremely well the nuance that the second sentence bears. If you want to rewatch it, this scene happens in episode 70. It's worth noting that in the anime, we see Killua not reacting to Gon's first sentence, but losing his composure entirely when Gon says the second sentence. But why ?

The reason was lost in translation. His exact words are "Booru wa Killua ga motte-kurenai to. Killua ja nakya dame nan da.". Both sentences basically say the same thing : It has to be Killua holding the ball. That second sentence can be translated literally as "If it's not Killua, that won't do." However, the second sentence, in a different context, can also be used to say a totally different thing. 

While it's certain that Gon used this sentence in the context of the dodgeball match, the sentence "~ja nakya dame nan da" also serves as a confession of one's feelings in japanese. It's basically the equivalent to "you're the one for me". When you google the sentence, it turns up romantic songs, forum posts asking what it would translate to in English and posts on how to confess to someone. 

The sentence basically drowns in romantic subtext. As mentioned before, Killua has no reaction to the first sentence "Booru wa Killua ga motte-kurenai to.", but loses his composure at the second one, and I think that was a very deliberate thing Togashi wanted to convey : this sentence has an additional layer, and clearly Killua is taking it to heart.

I will come back to this specific subtext in a bit, because we can parallel it with another subtext-y situation, so please keep it in mind for now.

CHIMERA ANT ARC

Now onto the sad gay arc! This arc is so RIDDLED in subtext and parallels that it's making me lose my mind.

• Gon, you are light. (chapter 199)

This scene is just... So romantic in nature. I’m not too objective on this, but I really do believe that this moment is the exact moment Killua fell in love with Gon and started to realize he felt a bit more than friendship towards him. It’s Killua respecting Gon for who he is, realizing that he’s light and he’s always been, he’s the one who saved him and who’s always been so bright and optimistic and always makes the best out of any situation. In this scene, Killua lets himself drown in Gon’s light, allows himself to feel this “wow” moment of pure admiration and love, and it’s absolutely beautiful.

It's extremely important to take the context of this scene into account. What happened is that Killua, who has been struggling mentally for the entire series with the fact that he's always running away, ran away once more, leaving Kite to die with Pitou. This ENTIRE chapter is literally adults absolutely DESTROYING Killua, first Kite's troupe bashing him for leaving Kite behind, and then Netero, Morel and Knov coming in like icing on the cake telling Killua that "After all, he's just a kid", and that he should hurry up to his mommy. 

Killua is beating himself up for running away again, got destroyed by Kite's team and 3 extremely strong pro hunters. His morale is down in the drains right now. He expects Gon to be mad at him for betraying Kite, for running away once again, for leaving Kite to die alone and ripping Gon away from Kite : he expects that he'll lose Gon for his cowardice.

HOWEVER, the first thing that Gon says to Killua after having been passed out for god knows how many hours is "Thank you". 

Gon woke up and instantly eased up all of Killua's fears : he wasn't a loser for running away, and Gon was actually thankful for him. Gon, at this moment, was the only one that showed kindness, understanding and gratefulness towards Killua. Gon even goes so far as saying that he knows that Kite isn't dead, and that they have to help him. At this instant, Gon is truly Killua's saving grace. He's the one that trusts him with his entire heart, and believes in his choices when even he can't believe in himself. Gon is truly Killua's light at this precise moment, because he was the only one who supported him, trusted him and reassured him in this awful situation.

How can someone shine so bright in such a terrible situation ? How can someone be so positive that nothing bad will happen ? 

Gon asserting all of this makes Killua respect him a lot. Keep this word in mind, because it’s going to be important in the next piece of subtext I’m analyzing, because those two scenes canonically follow each other and are basically Togashi highlighting that something special happened when Killua called Gon his light, and that his feelings deepened.

• Introduction to Palm's character (chapter 200)

This piece of subtext is very very easy to miss but it's one of the most important subtext-y scene, because coupled with the “Gon, you are light” scene, it’s very clear that this dialogue is deliberately highlighting Killua’s feelings.

This chapter introduces Palm's character (which, imo, is a character introduced for the sole intent of being a catalyst to Killua's feelings towards Gon, but I'll talk about it in my post talking about the CAA parallels) - edit: i talked about this briefly here.

So, Killua having looked into Gon's eyes for like 10min straight and concluded that Gon was the light of his life a chapter ago, is now chilling with Gon as they meet Palm. 

Palm takes them to a café and STRAIGHT OFF THE BAT harasses them about how much she's in love with Knov. Like when I say harassing, it's literally a whole page of her explaining her feelings towards Knov. 

There are two interesting things that can be drawn from this interaction.

First, it's extremely easy to draw parallels between Palm's situation towards Knov and Killua's situation towards Gon. Palm starts by saying how amazing her master is, that she probably has special feelings for him but the most important thing is to respect the other person. Remember how I talked about how this last scene was Killua having a surge of deep, deep respect for Gon ? Palm makes sure to highlight that special word, that it’s important to respect someone when it comes to love.

She then goes on to say that she hasn't said anything to Knov, and never will. All of this adds nothing to the story, it's empty dialogue, Togashi could've introduced Palm in virtually any other way possible, but he chose to drag her and the gay duo to a café and make her have a monologue about love RIGHT after the extremely emotional panel of Killua declaring that Gon is his light just a chapter ago.

But there's more. Not only does Palm monologue for a while about love, but after finishing her monologue, this happens :

This panel features ONLY Palm and Killua, her looking at him like the psycho she is, and straight up telling him that "love can suddenly spark out of nowhere, don't you think so?". 

What's so interesting about this is the fact that Togashi made the deliberate choice to have Palm say this to Killua and Killua ONLY, which after the gay existential crisis he had last chapter, can very much be applied to his situation. Love DID spark out of nowhere, and Togashi wants you to notice. Togashi could've made Palm say this to herself, with no distinct listener like the last panel, but he made the conscious choice to draw this panel with Palm adressing herself to Killua SPECIFICALLY. 

Those two pieces of subtext, that fit perfectly together, make me believe 100% that Togashi knows what he's doing and he's not unintentionally planting gay subtext in his work. The fact that Togashi sat at his desk, drew Killua calling Gon his light, and then followed this scene with the introduction to a character who picks Killua apart to tell him that "love is something that just happens, don't you think?" is 100% proof that Togashi knows what he's doing.

• Date with Palm (chapters 217 and 218)

I think this situation has many layers, but many people still dismiss it as bro behavior so I'm gonna try my best to counter argue. First of all, and although that's not proof of anything, Killua looks EXTREMELY distressed by the prospect of Gon going on a date with Palm, but that can be counter-argued by saying that Killua is just worried because Palm is completely crazy. 

What I want to talk about is the scene that happens right after, when Gon and Killua go to the gym (because theyre DUDES YEAH WE WORK OUT NO HOMO), and the conversation casually drifts to Killua asking Gon if he's ever been on a date before, valid question considering what just happened previously. There are multiple things here :

1) Killua seems distressed that Gon has been on dates before. While it can be argued that it's a normal reaction because Gon has and he hasn't, I believe that Killua - who is in no way a normal person who would get flustered about "not having been on dates before a certain age" - would not feel uncomfortable that his friend is more experienced than him - especially when literal seconds later, he monologues about how he doesn’t care about dates and just wants to stick with Gon.

2) Gon then proceeds to ask Killua if he's ever been on a date, to which Killua responds :

What I want to highlight is the panel where Killua says "And the truth is, I want to stay by your side... Always...". Basically, what Killua is saying, is that he doesn't care about dates, all he wants to do is be with Gon.

I don't think this can be counter-argued as bro behavior, but with all the subtext I've explained before, this right here is pretty gay. Togashi put this panel deliberately to show that Killua doesn't give a crap about dates when he can stay with Gon, and with the "gon you are light" scene and everything in mind, this is another intentional subtext.

There's also the fact that Killua stalks the date like a jealous girlfriend - but I'm not gonna count that as subtext because it can be argued that he's just worried about Gon because Palm is insane.

• Gon is my best friend ! (chapter 219)

Remember how I told you to keep the "It has to be Killua" subtext in mind because I was gonna come back to it later ? Well.

During Palm's date with Gon, Killua runs into Rammot, who would definitely have ran into Palm and nenless Gon. Killua is forced to confront his worst fear : this is the moment where he knows that if he runs away again, Gon WILL die. Killua is literally overcoming his "programming", the physical representation of years of abuse out of love and care for Gon. He's ripping out the needle from his forehead out of pure, genuine care for Gon, because if he doesn't, then he'll lose him forever. 

Now, what I actually wanna talk about is this panel :

What we see is Killua thinking happy thoughts about all his adventures with Gon because he can't - won't - doesn't want to run away anymore, and all this for his sake. But what I wanna draw attention to is the dodgeball panel that's bigger than all the others, and the only one where you can actually clearly make out what's written : "Killua ja nakya dame nan da". 

Now, isn't that interesting that the panel that takes a bigger place in the whole panel is the one with this particular sentence? Remember what I talked about a bit earlier, about how "~ ja nakya dame nan da" is a sentence with a lot of romantic connotations (would pretty much equal to "you're the one for me" in English). Clearly this particular sentence stuck with Killua. 

I'm not completely objective on this matter since I firmly believe that at this point, Killua has romantic feelings for Gon, but I interpret this as another deliberate thing Togashi did : putting the panel bigger so we can see that it has a particularly significant importance to Killua, and Killua's state of mind right now (not wanting to lose Gon). 

In my opinion, two things happened here: One, Killua remembers this specific interaction because he knows how much Gon trusts him and he doesn't want to betray his trust. But I also firmly believe that Killua remembered this specific interaction because of the romantic connotation the sentence "Killua ja nakya dame nan da" has. Those words clearly shocked him, and I think he remembers them in this life-threatening situation, after the "gon you are light" scene, Palm talking about "love just happens", the "i want to stay with you, always" because he realizes that he wishes Gon would say that sentence in a romantic context, and not in the context of the dodgeball match, thus leading him to surpass himself to prove his love and perhaps live to see the day where Gon could say those words in that romantic context.

Now, of course, all of this is my interpretation, so it's really up to debate, but I really wanna highlight the fact that Togashi deliberately CHOSE to highlight this particular interaction between Gon and Killua, this sentence with romantic subtext, to lead Killua to finally break his chains and be able to be protect Gon fully. It’s also interesting to note that the 2011 anime adaptation also makes it a point to emphasize how deep these words stuck to Killua by making it the last flashback that makes Killua effectively rip out the needle out of his head. 

Also let's quickly mention the irony in the situation here : while Gon is on a romantic date, Killua fights to protect him, overcoming his weakness to prove his love. It’s not Palm who deserves that date, it’s Killua.

• A lovers’ suicide (chapter 286)

Now, onto the most important piece of subtext, that can not be counterargued as platonic in any way, shape or form. During the palace invasion, Killua leaves Gon's side, proceeds to go kick Youpi's butt only to have to fall back because he used up all his electricity nen. When Killua is charging up, he meets with Meleoron, and tells him that once he's done charging, he'll go back to Gon's side. 

They briefly exchange information about the battle, and then Meleoron proceeds to ask Killua what's the plan for him and Gon. That's when Killua explains that "Once Gon is like this, he won't budge an inch. Worst case scenario, it'll be a double suicide.". At worst they both die, cool. They “go down in flames together”. It’s actually much, much more meaningful than that.

The specific word that Killua uses for double suicide is "心中" (shinjuu), which is a heavily romantically connotated word in japanese. Shinjuu, also translated as "lovers’ suicide", is when two people die out of love, by the same method, because there's a belief that this'll allow those two people to spend eternity together. Shinjuu is a major theme of Japanese literature, and it is always used romantically. It's a very uncommon word to use to refer to two people dying together, because of its heavy romantic connotation, and because it always refers to double suicide committed by people bound by love. In literature, it always refers to two lovers, in love. If you want to read more on shinjuu, i suggest this and this, those articles explain its historic roots and the definition, also emphasizing the feeling of "oneness" that characterizes shinjuu. If you’re interested, I also suggest reading the japanese article that defines shinjuu, and hitting the google translate button, it has some pretty interesting sentences like “Shinjuu is traditionally committed by men and women out of mutual love, in the hope that they will be connected in the afterlife because they can't be together in this world.”

So basically, what Killua is saying is that he wants to go back to Gon's side to die with him, committing a "lovers’ suicide" because he doesn't want to leave Gon to die alone, and wants to die with him.

I also want to emphasize how special this word is to Killua, and that he and everyone around him know the special meaning of this word - In chapter 300, Ikalgo literally says "We were... No, KILLUA was ready to commit shinjuu with Gon". Ikalgo is really highlighting the fact that this word holds special meaning, especially to Killua, and that it was HIM who was willing to commit shinjuu by staying with Gon. Ikalgo and company dying with Gon wouldn't be shinjuu, but Killua dying with Gon would be, and Togashi emphasizes this through Ikalgo's thoughts.

This is pretty much the gist of it, but I suggest reading the wonderful post I linked in the references below if you want to know more about this specific subtext.

(edit : i actually wrote a post going a bit more into detail on Killua’s shinjuu wish if you want to read it here ! :3)

• “The one that Gon needs the most is you” (chapter 294)

I will go into this subtext more in details when I write the post about parallels in CAA, but I still want to talk about it briefly here.

Like I said before, to me, Palm was introduced as a catalyst for Killua's feelings towards Gon. Togashi purposefully wrote Palm as having romantic feelings for Gon to foil Killua's feelings for Gon and make him show jealousy towards Palm. 

To Killua, Palm is someone who stole Gon from him, he sees her as a threat because maybe she'll make Gon happier than he does ? (ofc we all know thats not true but Killua is baby) - Basically, Killua thinks Palm might be more important to Gon than Killua is, because he believes they are romantically involved. That's why when he sees her again later on, after Gon rejected his help, leaving Killua helpess as to how to save his dear friend, Killua sees Palm as a saving grace. 

He knows that if Gon sees Palm as a chimera ant, he will spiral down even more, so he tries to reason with her to get her to be gentle to Gon, because if not her, then who could? Palm would clearly be able to comfort Gon, with whom Killua believes is romantically involved with, better than him, right ? If Gon rejected Killua, then clearly Palm could help, since she seems closer to Gon (BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THEYRE DATING), right? 

This confrontation between Palm and Killua closely ressembles a situation like an ex confronting a new girlfriend - and I think this is exactly why Togashi wrote Palm this way. He wanted Killua to confront who he thought was a threat to their relationship, making him believe that this person who's """"dating"""” Gon is more important to him than himself, only to have her openly admit that she means nothing to Gon. The only one Gon needs is Killua.

And that, my friends, coming from someone you believe is romantically involved with your best friend (who you probably have a crush on), someone you're jealous of, the one you thought was the person most important to him, that's a pretty meaningful statement. 

Basically, what's happening, is that Palm reaffirms that Gon holds Killua closer than a potential romantic partner. And that's why Killua is so, so happy to hear that. He was questioning his entire relationship, questioning if Gon even cared about him, because he rejected him a few minutes before, but then his "rival" comes in and reaffirms that even she knows that no one comes close to Killua to Gon.

I also want to mention that this act of pure love (Killua only thinking of saving Gon when in a life threatening situation) is what made Palm come back to her human senses. d'awwwwww

• Illumi and Hisoka’s parallel on lovers who die of Alluka’s requests. (chapter 323)

Now onto the final significant subtext - while I don't particularly think of it as subtext-y, I know a lot of people have so I still want to include it here.

When Illumi explains Alluka's powers to Hisoka, he explains that there are two different types of linked deaths when a request is failed : 1) the person who failed + the person they love the most 2) the person who failed + the people they spent most of their time with. 

When applied to Killua, Hisoka naturally comes to the conclusion that no matter the outcome, Gon would always be the one dying with Killua, because he's spent so much time with him, and because he's the one that Killua loves the most. In the panel where Illumi explains this, we see a romantic, heterosexual couple  demonstrating the effects of not completing one of Alluka's requests, and thus the "most important person dying". 

While not making any true parallels, the fact that Hisoka, and the readers, are drawn to compare a heterosexual, romantic pairing to Killua dying with Gon because he's his "most important person" is an interesting piece of subtext.

_______

I want to finish by talking about Killua's birthday and how significant it is in my opinion. All the main 4 characters have birthdays that fall on specific dates, related to Japanese tradition, and often with events that can be associated to their character. Gon's is 5/5, which is Children's Day. Kurapika's is 4/4, the number 4 being considered an unlucky number, and this being an unlucky day to have a child. Leorio's is 3/3, Hinamatsuri (not really any main parallels here but still). But Killua's birthday is 7/7, and is the Japanese day to celebrate Tanabata. 

If you are not familiar with Tanabata, the story is as follows : Orihime is a princess who works for her father, working hard and well, but she laments the fact that because of her hard work she can't meet someone and fall in love. Her father arranges for her to meet Hikoboshi, allowing Orihime to leave because he expects her to come back to work for him, but the two immediately fall in love and get married, and she never returns. I won't get into the rest of the story as it's this part that interests me the most, but if you want to read more about Killua and Tanabata I suggest reading the post I referenced below.

Does the story of Orihime remind you of anyone ? Killua also works for his father, but laments the fact that he can't go outside and meet someone. His father then lets him go, saying, and i quote: "he will come back, because he's my son". Doesn't this remind you of the tale of Tanabata ? Killua's story references the tale of Orihime perfectly, and I believe this is intentional : Killua's birthday isn't of any importance to the plot, so why make it Tanabata, a day that celebrates a love story that closely ressembles Killua's story ? The answer is simple : subtext.

With all this in mind, I think it's pretty clear that Togashi is writing intentional subtext to hint at Killua's feelings being romantic in nature. Togashi is a master writer, he has years of experience, and I strongly believe he knows what he's doing and not planting unintentional subtext. He's a very smart man, and knows how all of this can be interpreted.

I will finish by saying that Togashi is NOT an author that would deliberately queerbait his readers. So many people dismiss the possibility of having gay subtext leading onto an actual canon gay relationship because "it's not like the author would ever have gay main characters". While this holds true for a lot of manga authors, especially shonen manga authors, it does NOT apply to Togashi. 

Togashi has always displayed interest in queer subjects and queer representation, putting trans characters in all of his major works (Miyuki in YYH, Mikihisa in Level E and Alluka in HxH). There were also canonically gay characters in his previous works : Itsuki in YYH, and a character named Kuramoto in Level E. 

Togashi also always had interest in mangas having BL elements, citing Maya Mineo's "Patalliro!" as a manga he was attracted to during High School. If you're unfamiliar with Patalliro, the story focuses on the main character's love life as a gay man.  He also admitted to basing Hiei's (YYH) design off a character from that manga. 

Last but not least, Togashi mentioned in a note included in volume 1 of YYH that he wanted to write a sports manga, called The Trouble Quartet, where basically all the characters are gay. Togashi said he based it off his own interests as a writer, and that while it was refused by Shonen Jump, he got deeply attached to the project and that he would love to explore this project in a different shape once he made a name for himself. I suggest reading this post because the parallels between The Trouble Quartet and HxH are HILARIOUSLY accurate.

In short, Togashi has always had interest in queer matters, and was always interested in putting queer representation in his work. After YYH, which was a terrible experience for Togashi as a writer, he managed to snatch a contract that basically allows him to do whatever he wants with HxH. Having always held dear BL matters but never being able to explore it to his full intent, I believe Togashi is exploring queer identity further with HxH, because Shonen Jump basically lets him do anything.

To conclude, with Togashi's past experience and skill, his interest in queer representation, and the amount of subtext surrounding Killua, I honestly believe that Togashi is trying to explore further queer representation, and I wouldn't be surprised if HxH ends with Gon and Killua becoming a canon pairing, whether it be delivered in an ambiguous manner or not. 

Edit : I actually wrote a post on why I believe it won’t be ambiguous, and that it’s truly never been ambiguous, just developing : here.

I hope you enjoyed the read, thank you for reading all of this, and feel free to show this to anyone who denies subtext in HxH !

REFERENCES

- "It has to be Killua" - Medium article, "Impossibilities in Translating Queerness : The Dodgeball Dilemma" 

- Palm's Date Scene - Reddit post, "Togashi's love of Ambiguity: Chapters 217 and 218" 

-A thematic analysis of Palm’s character : ”The Issue With Palm”

- Shinjuu - Tumblr post by hunterxhell, "A lovers' suicide, I guess." :  + the post that mentions Ikalgo talking about shinjuu 

- An analysis on different subtext-y situations

- Illumi and Hisoka’s parallel : here and here 

- Killua’s birthday : "Killua, July 7th, and the significance of his birthdate”

- Togashi's interview mentioning Mineo's Patalliro